


Excited and Scared

by SleeplessInGeneral



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Future Generation, Gen, Multi, Other, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-11-29
Packaged: 2018-08-16 17:31:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8111158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleeplessInGeneral/pseuds/SleeplessInGeneral
Summary: After doing everything in their power, and even threatening at several occasions, Albus and Scorpius finally managed to get their son to go to Ilvermorny instead of Hogwarts. The distance may be great, and neither side is really ready, but they assume they'll be fine. And then there's Jeffrey, who just isn't ready for this. Period.





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is ignoring most of what happened in The Cursed Child. I posted this on my FF account a couple of days ago, questioning whether or not I should also post here, but then I decided I should. So here it is.
> 
> A lot of things will be explained as time goes on, but the most important thing to know is - Albus and Scorpius pulled strings to get their son in Ilvermorny instead of Hogwarts, due to concerns I'll explain in the end notes.

* * *

"No, I'm changing my mind. Cedric is going to Hogwarts."

"Scorp, you're being ridiculous. He is not going there. I will not let that happen."

"Albus, he's my baby. _Our_ baby. I don't want him to go there either, but do you really want him all the way over in Massachusetts while we're all the way over here?"

"This is hard for me too, Scorp. But it has to be done."

"No, Albus Severus Potter, you listen to me –"

"Why are you fighting? Ced is crying." Both men turned their eyes to their fifteen-year old daughter. She was standing in the hallway, snuggled in her sparkly pajamas and Slytherin scarf, arms crossed in a serious manner. "He knows you're fighting about him. It only makes it worse."

"Why are you meddling in this, Tori?" Albus asked and went to his daughter. "This isn't about you."

"No, but it's about Cedric, and I was trying to write a paper for potions class which is due the first day of class, but he came to my room crying because you were fighting about him. And that calls for an intervention."

"Astoria Demetria Potter-Malfoy, this is none of your business –"

"This becomes my business once Ced starts crying –"

"I am your father, Astoria! Do not raise your voice at me!"

And then Cedric's cries became louder. Albus sighed, running a hand through his hair. Tori gave him a look, as if to say "I told you so". So he went past her to her room, where the tiny redhead boy was crying even harder, of the pain in his eyes from so much crying.

"Hey, baby bird. Come on. We're not mad at you." Albus took his son in his arms. Cedric grabbed one of Astoria's many stuffed animals with him on the way. "No, you can't take Tori's toys. Put that back."

"No."

"Do you want to cry or do you want to talk to me?"

"I want to cry."

"But you can't." Albus started stroking Cedric's hair. Cedric was hiccupping and holding tight onto his dad. "Tomorrow Grandpa Draco will take you to Massachusetts and you'll go to school there. Isn't that happy?"

"I want to cry."

"Cedric, look at me. Don't hide in my shirt." Cedric rubbed his eyes and looked up. "Tomorrow you're to going to Ilvermorny, and on Tuesday Tori is going to Hogwarts. If you cry she won't want to go to Hogwarts and then bad things will happen."

"I'll be alone. I don't wanna be alone. Daddy please don't leave me alone."

"You're not going to be alone. You have an owl, you'll get a wand, you write beautifully and you can send us letters all the time. And if anything goes wrong, remember that we wrote to the headmistress and you can always ask her to contact us for you. Say the word and we'll be there. I promise."

"I'll be weird." Cedric's eyes turned wet all over again. "I'll have a weird accent, and no one will know me there –"

"No one knows anyone there, Cedric. And they'll think your accent is cool. Americans love English accents."

"I wanna stay at home and go to school with Katherine and Eli and Danny and –"

"Baby bird, what's wrong?" Scorpius went into the room and joined the two on the carpet. "Why are you so scared?"

"Because I wanna go to school with Katherine and Eli and Danny and –"

"But you're a wizard, Cedric. And they're not."

"Ceddie, you're such a bright kid," Scorpius said with big eyes. "Did you know that your grandpa told me there is no way you're related to your other grandpa?" Cedric started crying again. "He meant that as a compliment! He said that because you're such a happy kid who is all sunshine and rainbows and your Grandpa Harry is Mister Doom-and-Gloom. Come on, baby bird. It's going to be fun. You're going to love it there!"

"I wanna sleep with you tonight."

"Oh, baby. Of course you can."

Albus and Scorpius fought with their stares, a fight which Scorpius won. So after evacuating Astoria's room and taking Cedric to wash his face and change into his pajamas (to his protest, since it was not "bedtime-time" yet), they held a cuddle-fest and watched some Disney movies, to get Cedric to relax. And they even forced Tori to join them.

* * *

Jeffrey was getting his hair cut today. And it was frustrating.

"You're such a pretty girl, honey," the new hairdresser told him. "Why would you want your hair so short?"

"Because he asked you to cut it short," Alice told her for him.

"Lisa never questioned me."

"Yeah, but Lisa isn't here now, is she?" Alice muttered.

"No." He tried looking away. The lady took her scissors and went at his hair. He couldn't look at himself, not now – all he could see was a girl with dark blonde hair, and he didn't like it. "Do you think they're going to accept my request to be called Jeffrey and not Nicole?"

"You sent that letter, didn't you?"

"Umm, yeah."

"And they sent you a reply?"

"I don't know…"

"Well, I know." She held up a paper and showed it to him through the mirror, and then opened it up and read out loud. "'Dear Mr. Walker. I have taken your request into record.' Just a second, it's there… There! 'Therefore, with parental signatures, your name will be officially changed to Jeffrey in the records.' Sincerely, Deputy Headmaster and so and so. What are you so afraid of? That school of yours is really nice."

"With parental signatures."

"I told Mom it was something I needed to get signed, she'll have to give her signature and I'll write the context. Don't worry. I take care of you."

"You're not a really good caretaker, Alice."

"Why not?"

"For one, you can't cook."

His sister started laughing right then and there, which made him laugh as well. At least it distracted him from looking at himself in the mirror. When the lady asked if he was serious about the hair color too, he said yes.

"But aren't you too young for hair color?"

"Our mom allows that," Alice said. "It's fine."

She did not color his hair, but after a bit of a while, Jeffrey was finally able to look at himself in the mirror. He was handed his glasses and finally, at last, his hair was short again. Still blonde, but short. Alice paid the new lady and grabbed him by his arm, stopping him from getting all over himself in the mirror.

"What am I going to do at school?" He frowned. "I don't think I can really get a haircut at school…"

"I'm sure you'll find someone to do it for you in three months. You really let it grow this time, didn't you."

"Three months ago Grandma was over, and then I just didn't find the time."

"Excuses, excuses."

"Beans, beans, the musical fruit," he started muttering. "The more you eat, the more you…" Only when Alice elbowed him did he stop. "What?"

"Really? The musical fruit?"

"It just came to me and I had to."

"From 'excuses, excuses'?"

"Yeah…? Don't hit me!"

Jeffrey was glad that Alice took him instead of their mom. He got a fruit smoothie and a sandwich out of it, so it was good. Their mom would never get him a smoothie or a sandwich at the end of the day. And his dad never took him anywhere. So when they got home later that afternoon, he had a sugar high. And his mom didn't blame Alice for it.

It was Jeffrey's last day before starting school at Ilvermorny. And he was super-excited. Well, excited and scared.

Blame Alice on that obsession with Sondheim musicals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Jeffrey is trans. But - and here are my calculations - they started school in 2046, and I believe that until then, things like gender identity will be less of a problem than it is today. And I'm not saying this because I think it's a problem, I personally identify as genderfluid and one of my best friends is a trans man, I'm saying this because I think that people need to be more accepting of people having different gender identities. I can't really put it in words, I'm sorry. You'll understand later on.
> 
> Albus and Scorp's concerns regarding Cedric are everything they went through in Hogwarts, as well as him having special needs. I'm not going to say what exactly, but he does, and that's pretty depressing. He's also a little bit based on some kids I know and the way he's being treated is a mix of the ways those kids are being treated, so take note of that.


	2. Part 2

"Astoria!"

Tori stopped right on time, before the other trolley would crash into hers. She could see the plastic cat carrier nearly fly and hear the angry meow of the Birman she knew was inside. Michael caught the carrier as quickly as he could, putting it back on top of his bags.

"Hello to you too, Michael." She smiled. "I take it Omen didn't enjoy the ride."

"She's been extremely difficult for some reason lately. But guess what?"

"What?"

"Can you kids please have this conversation once we've crossed the wall?" Albus said, reminding the two of his presence.

"Oh, hi, Mr. Potter," Michael said and smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, my aunt's cat gave birth in August –"

"Michael, just cross the goddamned wall already. Please."

"Okay! Okay. Sorry." He grabbed the trolley handle and started running into the wall. After disappearing, Tori did the same, not before handing the giant birdcage to Albus.

After the crossing, taking the baggage, Michael's cat carrier and Tori's birdcage and boarding the train, as Tori and Michael were looking for an empty compartment, Michael went back to talking. "So my aunt's cat gave birth in August, and I got to name a bunch of the litter."

"One is probably named after Rachel Barbra Berry, right?"

"You know it. But I didn't get to name one of mine, my sister called dibs on the name." They finally found an empty compartment and took over, Michael's cat Omen finally being let out of her carrier and Tori's harrier Meeple loudly complaining about his confinement.

"No, Meeps, I don't have any dead mice to give to you. You'll have to wait."

"So what did you name your bunch?"

"One is called Romeo," he said, trying to sound sophisticated. "One is called Raymond –"

"Raymond?"

"Don't judge me! So Romeo, Raymond, and the only girl I got to name is called Rhea. And then my sister named hers Rachel and my cousin got to name the other two, and their names are Ruby and, since we have a tradition of giving the weirdest of names as evidenced by the existence of little Miss Omen Event, the last one is called Rib. And my aunt is giving those I named up for adoption. Millie gets to keep Rachel and Chris keeps Ruby and Rib."

"Remind me to tell CR your aunt is giving them up for adoption."

"I thought your uncle doesn't like cats."

"He does not, but please remember that since CR is a very recent Hogwarts graduate and thus no longer lives with my aunt and uncle, he can adopt as many cats as he wants to. And besides, my aunt is an avid cat-lady. He can't fight her."

"And CR is just as avid a cat-lady as your aunt is, isn't he."

"You saw how he is with Omen. He's cat-crazy." Meeple squeaked, as if to confirm his human's words. "This ride is going to be so boring without him in here."

"Well, Iggy and Andy are still here," Michael offered.

"You know what I think about having you, Iggy and Andy in the same closed space."

And then there was a boom outside their compartment. Tori ran to the hallway, to check what was going on, and there she saw a dark-haired little girl struggling with her bag. The bag was on the floor, open, and she was putting all her clothes back in them. She knew that girl very well. She also knew she should meddle. But she stayed there, watching, to see if anyone was going to help her.

Three minutes later, as Tori was helping her pack her stuff back, a Hufflepuff girl came running. "There was a boom. I came to…"

"It's okay," Tori said. "It's just –"

"My bag fell and did a boom and it opened and now my stuffs are on the floor and it's not good and my mum would be mad and –"

"I can help you pack your things back," the little Hufflepuff said and held out her hand. "I'm Gina."

"I'm Sadie Lovegood," Sadie told Gina. She didn't shake her hand, just stuck her own hand out and gave her a book. "You said help. Now help."

"Are you sure you don't need me to help, Sadie?" Tori asked her, forcing the little girl to look in her eyes.

"Nope. Gina is a friend now."

"You little thing, you." Tori smiled. "Write to Cedric, okay? He misses you a lot."

"Okay. Bye-bye Tori!"

Tori went back in her compartment, seeing as the little Hufflepuff girl helped her cousin pack her things and offered her a seat.

And then the train started moving.

* * *

 

"I am unworthy of your love, Jodie, Jodie…"

Cedric really wanted to tell the person singing to shut up, but he didn't know who was singing. Draco squeezed his hand when he noticed the discomfort.

"Is something bothering you?"

"No, but this song is weird." He tried whispering, but even he himself couldn't hear himself.

"Cedric, is something wrong?"

The singing turned to humming at some point, and then Cedric managed to single out someone he assumed was humming. She was dark-haired, with a really nice haircut that Tori once wanted to have, and he didn't even know who she was. But then she turned around and her expression turned into a shock.

"Oh my god," she whispered. "You're Draco Malfoy!"

"Eh, yeah," Draco said. "I didn't think anyone recognized me here…"

"My grandmother told me about you," the girl said with a big smile. She was literally jumping of excitement. "She doesn't have the best of opinions about you, but I think you're a good person. She said you were a coward." And then she held out her hand to Cedric. "Anna-Sophia Guiteau."

Cedric shook her hand. He didn't want to, but it didn't really work like that, so he had to. "Cedric Potter-Malfoy."

"Pleasure to meet you." She looked back at Draco, hoping he'll address her. When he didn't, she just grabbed Cedric's hand. "I'll take him from here, okay, sir?"

"I'll trust that you do," he told her. Then he grabbed Cedric and pulled him to a hug.

"I'll miss you, grandpa."

"I'll miss you too, baby bird. As long as you're happy and safe, there will be nothing to worry about. Write daily, okay?"

"Okay."

A bit of a while later, as Draco was long gone and Anna-Sophia spent a long time talking about her heritage, someone started singing again.

"Everybody's got the right to some sunshine, everybody! Not the sun but maybe…"

"One of its beams, one of its beams," Anna-Sophia hummed. Cedric squeezed her hand in discomfort. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll stop singing!" He squeezed her hand again, looking away. The singing went on. "Do you want me to shush whoever it is who is singing?"

"Yes please."

"Alright then." She dragged him along, looking for anyone who was singing and screaming "excuse me" at everyone. In the end they were faced with this blond kid with glasses, who was a bit taller than Cedric – which came to Cedric as a surprise since he was one of the tallest kids his age he knew – and was probably unaware to his singing.

"Excuse me, you," Anna-Sophia said quite loudly.

"Hmm?"

"You're singing."

"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" He seemed to be a little embarrassed.

"I personally don't, but my friend is apparently very sensitive to sounds."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I'll stop."

"Thank you." Instead of going away, she held out her hand and he took it.

"Jeffrey Walker."

"Anna-Sophia Guiteau."

His eyes opened wide. "Guiteau? Like –"

"Like Denis O'Hare, yes. But not related. At least I hope not. My lineage can't be traced that far back in time." She smiled smugly. "And besides, I'm pretty sure I'm pure-blooded from both sides of my family."

"What?" Cedric was surprised to know it came from his mouth and not Jeffrey, who was clearly confused at what Anna-Sophia said.

"There's a musical about president assassinations and assassination attempts in the United States," Jeffrey started speaking. "And over forty years ago, the first Broadway production happened, and Denis O'Hare played Charles Guiteau, who killed president Garfield –"

"I don't know who those people are."

"Yeah, Cedric is British." Anna-Sophia nodded like crazy. "And the British wizarding world aren't very much in touch with the no-maj –"

"Muggle."

"Muggle what?"

"Non-magical people. Muggles."

"No-maj."

"Muggle!"

"No-maj!"

"Potato, potato," Jeffrey groaned loudly. "Can you not fight over that?"

"I'm sorry," Cedric said and turned around, trying to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?" Jeffrey called after him. "Stay! Have a cookie! My mom baked me cookies yesterday because she felt bad for some reason. I don't know why. I'm sure Annie didn't mean to fight you. It's like the British lift and the American elevator, isn't it? Muggle and no-maj or whatever that was. Two versions of the same word." He took off one strap of his backpack, put it back on, took off the other one and opened the zipper to take out a small plastic bag full of peanut butter cookies. Cedric quickly ran back there and took one.

"Can I have one too?" Anna-Sophia asked.

Cedric took a bite. It didn't taste right. "This isn't peanut butter."

"No, it's almond butter. I'm allergic to peanuts." He took one out and gave it to Anna-Sophia. "I also have some dried fruit in there, I think. I need to check."

"Please do that later."

"Alright."

Cedric decided that the cookies are delicious by the time Jeffrey offered him a third one. He also decided that he needed to know more about Jeffrey, more than the simple fact that his mum made delicious cookies.

"They almost feel too vegan to me," Anna-Sophia declared as Jeffrey took out a bag of coconut flakes and started snacking on them, Cedric in control of the cookie bag. He assured them that there were more where those came from.

"I don't think it should be anyone's business that I'm vegan. Or at least, I was. I don't like saying that but I was."

"Oh. What made you change your mind?"

"Micronutrient deficiencies as a result of severe food allergies. My mom isn't a fan of supplements. My sister calls her a hippie. But I'm the only non-vegan person in my family and I'm still a vegetarian."

"Too long an affair with tofu?"

"Seitan, not tofu. I have a weird reaction to soy. Not an allergy, I can eat soy, but just a weird reaction." He shoved a lot of coconut flakes into his mouth. "But it's generally very annoying. I actually really like cheese, but it's the only animal product that I like. Well, also honey. I really like honey. Especially with apples. Maple syrup is too runny to dip apples into and I don't like dipping apples in nut butter."

"One might think you're Jewish, Mr. Walker."

"I am. On my mom's side."

"Oh. That's nice."

"So I was going to say, it's generally very annoying because I can't share with my sister or my mom. They don't eat those things, because they don't have severe food allergies so they can keep being perfectly vegan, but they also can't share things with me. Like ice cream. I really like blood orange sorbet, it's the best thing ever, and my mom and sister always try eating my ice cream but they're using their spoons and they love mango sorbet and I'm allergic, so that sucks."

"You talk too much about food," Cedric pointed out.

"I noticed. Can you change the conversation topic?"

"I would gladly," Anna-Sophia said. "What house do you want to be sorted to?"

* * *

_"If I lose focus, whistle the X-Files theme. It goes like this – And it will bring me back to focus. Trust me."_

"Walker, Jeffrey."

He did not move. His name was called again. At the third time his name was called, Cedric whistled the X-Files theme. He received a glare and looked away, ashamed. Jeffrey snapped and ran to the middle of the room. A few seconds later, the Pukwudgie status raised its arrow. Another few seconds later and Jeffrey was led through.

"I'm going to hate being separated from you two," Annie whispered. "Horned Serpent was clearly what I was going to be, but still…"

"We'll still share classes," Cedric promised her. "And I'll keep Jeffrey alive for you."

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadie has a similar condition to Cedric, only on a much more severe scale. And that's all I'm saying about his condition!
> 
> I am definitely going to involve a lot of The Misadventures of Astoria Potter-Malfoy and Michael Vreeland in later chapters. And yes, I did calculate that, and the 2043 Birman names start with an O. The 2046 names start with a R. Omen is named after two elements of Betrayal at House on the Hill. Meeple is named after... Well, meeples. And marsh harriers' calls are so cute. Trust me.
> 
> Just quickly having to say that I am not stigmatizing vegans, I had an argument with a vegan friend about the whole deficiency stigma that goes with being vegan because she didn't wait until I explained the whole allergies thing to her, but everyone can get micronutrient deficiencies. And in Jeffrey's case, it's because he's allergic to a lot of stuff. He's like the transgender vegan version of CP Coulter's Logan Wright, if you know who that is.


	3. Part 3

Tori thought she could see a thestral outside the classroom window. She didn't know what a thestral had to do this close to Hogwarts, as she thought most of them liked to keep to the forest, but she gave it no mind.

Then a note hit her. She opened it carefully, trying not to disrupt Professor Merriweather's speech about the importance of this and that numbers they were learning about today.

'did u see that? Its like he was riding nothing!'

She quickly scribbled something on the back of the note and sent it back to Michael, who looked scared. And then Merriweather caught the note.

"Mr. Vreeland," she said in a terrifying tone. "Would you like to share this note with the class?"

"No ma'am." A lot of other kids laughed. Tori looked terrified, just as much as Michael was.

Merriweather opened it up and read it to the class. "'He's…' Ms. Potter, would you please read to the class everything you wrote here? I cannot understand your handwriting."

"So you're not kicking us out?" Michael asked, worried.

"Not as long as you're going to tell me what's going on." The professor turned to Tori. "Well?"

"There was a thestral flying outside," Tori explained. "And apparently someone was riding it. But Michael couldn't see the thestral, just the rider. So I explained to him what that was."

"From now on, please keep your Care for Magical Creatures a separate lesson from this. We are studying arithmancy. Now, before you are getting thrown out of this class, open your books and focus!"

For the rest of the lesson, Tori tried finding the thestral and its rider again. She couldn't, but it didn't mean she didn't stop trying.

* * *

"Pulvis et umbra sumus."

"We are dust and shadows."

"Dura lex sed lex."

"The law is hard but it is the law."

"Palma non sine pulvere. Come on, Annie! Palma non sine pulvere!"

"I don't know! Leave me alone!"

"No reward without effort. Really, Annie? I thought you knew Latin."

"Only what I learned from The Mortal Instruments!"

Cedric spaced out during breakfast. His friends were fighting over silly things – who is better, Clary Fray or Katniss Everdeen (like he even knew who those are), what would Magnus Bane do if he was an Ilvermorny student (he didn't even want to know who this guy was), and a lot other things he just didn't understand – so he chose to space out. And now they were back to the conversation they started at breakfast, which today was a Latin quiz, apparently.

"That, kind sir, is not a quote from TMI," Annie said as she ate her pasta.

"Yeah. It isn't. I was trying to trick you." Jeffrey drank his water and dug in his own food. "It's from Dalton."

"Which is?"

"Ever watched Glee?" Annie shook her head. "Well, Dalton is what could've been the much better version of season two of Glee, only it was never made into a TV series unfortunately and it's probably better than the whole show. But that's my opinion on the matter. My sister can't stand that story for some reason."

"And how does that sentence fit the story?"

"Well, there are three houses. Windsor, Stuart and Hanover." Jeffrey grabbed his pen and notepad – which he kept at Cedric's advice so he'd stop asking Cedric to remember things for him – and wrote three sentences, all in pretty cursive. "Windsor's motto is 'nil mortalibus ardui est', which means 'nothing is impossible for humankind' and was probably chosen by the Tweedles. Hanover's is 'in harmonia progressio', which means 'progress in harmony'. And Stuart's is 'palma non sine pulvere', which is the coolest because they're the coolest and it just makes a lot of sense."

"Okay. Whatever you say." And then Annie turned to him. "Do you have anything interesting to tell us, Cedric?"

"My sister wrote to me today." He looked to the side.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, just… I can't read her handwriting. She's got dys… something."

"Dyslexia?"

"Yes and no. That but something else too that starts with dys." He took out the folded paper from his pocket and held it out to Annie. "Read."

She struggled for a bit, and then put the paper down on the table in despair. "I can't. She even spelled your name wrong!"

"Noah with seven spelling errors," Jeffrey said out of the blue.

"What?"

"It's a Yiddish saying. My grandma used to say it a lot when she spell-checked my writing when I went to Hebrew school. There's also a similar saying about Catherine the Great, whose Russian was so awful that –"

"Jeffrey, cut it."

"It was going to be short! So, there's a saying about Catherine the Great, and according to belief her Russian was so terrible that she spelled the word shchi, which in Russian would be two letters, in eight letters."

"Are you done?"

"Yep."

And then, another letter made its way to Cedric's hands. It was signed in pretty handwriting and he opened it quickly.

'Hey baby bird. Your sister probably wrote to you, so I wanted to make sure you understood her.' He smiled at that. 'So Sadie said she'll write to you over the weekend, we have new kittens and today we saw a thestral outside the arithmancy classroom. Also, Tori is super-excited about her birthday. Did you get her anything yet? I didn't think so. I don't think you're really allowed to go out and buy her things… Whatever. It's all right. See you over the holidays! Michael. PS, I'll try to make her say to me what she has to write to you the next time. I don't want you getting a hole in your brain trying to decipher her writing. Dysgraphia is a nightmare.'

"Dysgraphia!"

"Dyswhat?" Annie asked, staring at him.

"That's that other thing my sister has. Dysgraphia."

"Ooh, who is this from?" Jeffrey tried to take the letter from him.

"Michael. He's my sister's best friend, okay? And he writes for her. Because she can't. She's got dysgraphia."

"Oh, okay." And then Jeffrey said, "Sic semper tyrannis."

"Thus always to tyrants. Really, Walker? You could try harder."

Cedric let himself space out again. He didn't want to be a part of this crazy Latin-fest. He just kept thinking about what Michael wrote to him – there was a thestral on Hogwarts grounds. And not like the Hogwarts herd, who usually kept to the forest as far as he was told. That one was near the building itself. And it worried him.

* * *

 

Since proving his flying abilities and explaining that he was taught to fly by Harry Potter (which earned him the praise of Madame Devereaux), Cedric was allowed to skip flying lessons. And so, he sat there and wrote.

'Hey, snakie.

I really miss you and I want you to have the best birthday even though I'm not really going to be able to send you a gift. Maybe my friend Annie can give me something to give you. She's a pure-blood and maybe her family has some relics they'd like to hand out. I need to ask her.

You saw a thestral? How? I don't remember seeing any deaths. Or maybe it was when Gran Molly died? I miss Gran Molly. I keep forgetting that you were there when it happened. So how was the thestral? Are they really pretty or really ugly? I don't even know. You never draw them, but you always say they're either really pretty or really ugly. Make up your mind already!

I want to ask Dad to let me stay with a friend during the holidays. But I don't think I should. Do you think I should? It's scary. I was never-ever in any house except our own, Uncle James's, Auntie Lily's, Grandpa's, Grandma and Grandpa Harry's and Gran Molly's. And the summer house in France and Lys and Roxanne's. I miss Lys. Do you think he's all right out there searching for the secrets behind the Deathly Hallows? I mean, of course he's all right, he's a necromancer and a relative of Newt Scamander, but still. I'm worried. Sadie is too I think. I'll ask her after she sends me a letter.

So how's school so far? Mine is great. I miss you guys a lot, but I have Annie and Jeffrey, who are my friends. Annie is a pure-blood from Minnesota. Jeffrey is a Muggle-born from New York. They both know Latin and read weird books, but Annie doesn't understand a lot of things Jeffrey says. He's Jewish and vegan and a lot of things I don't understand either. And Annie is weird too, because she talks a lot, mostly about her family. And I don't get that.

See you in the holidays! Love, baby bird.

PS, let Michael write the letters for you.'

And then he was hit by a broomstick, so he put the letter in his bag and went away. So he won't get hit again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lys is Lysander Scamander, Luna's son. His daughter is Sadie, who was introduced in the last part, and she calls herself Sadie Lovegood because she thinks it sounds better than Sadie Scamander (and she's right). I cannot exactly explain how he became a necromancer, it is just something that he is and I have accepted for a while now.
> 
> The thestral-rider's identity will remain a secret for now. But I love him. And I hope you would too when he's introduced.


	4. Part 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may be a bit... sad. It focuses on Sadie, and more specifically on a friend she makes. And I really did try to make it as happy as I can with what I wrote, because I know most of the fandom will find this subject very painful but I like taking a different approach to things, so there's that.
> 
> Please, try not to cry.

From: Cedric Potter-Malfoy  
To: Sadie Louise Scamander (Lovegood)

Sadie! You didn't write to me in such a long time! Like I told you in my last letter, I have lots of fun here in America and I have new friends and I want you to meet them and there's no annoying Aunt-Hermiones here to ask me if I want to eat or sing so I'm having lots of fun! Do you have new friends in Hogwarts? Please answer this question. I'm tired of asking you over and over. And I miss you a lot a lot.

You know, I want to write to CR but I don't know how. Can you help me? I want you to help me.

I'm adding a bag of cookies my friend's mum sent him. I think you need them.

I miss you a lot! See you on the holidays! -Cedric.

* * *

 

From: Sadie Louise Lovegood (Scamander)  
To: Cedric Craig Potter-Malfoy

I didn't write to you because my uncle Lorcan told me I can't write you a letter in class. Grandma is either proud or ashamed of him being a Hogwarts professor. I think she's proud but she would rather he wasn't a divination professor. I think she'd rather him to be a care for magical creatures professor. But she's my grandma, so I don't know either. He doesn't know at all.

I'm really happy that there are no Aunt-Hermiones where you are. I have Professor Longbottom and he's kind of the worst, because I'm a Weasley and a Lovegood and he has high expectations of me because he knows my grandparents on both sides and he knows Aunt Ginny and Hermione and Harry and Ron and everyone so he thinks he can have high expectations of me. Tori told me that he has the same of her, so she doesn't take Herbology. And he's really awful. I'm a Ravenclaw, as I told you, and he's the head of Gryffindor, but he just keeps sticking to me to make sure that I do this and that and no one bugs me about how I speak and everything like that.

Are there any people in your school who make fun of the way you speak? I can't help it if my words don't come out right. I don't like it. Grandma told me that I shouldn't be ashamed of myself because Hogwarts is a good place and no muggle condition should ever make me feel lesser than those who don't have my condition, but it's just as hard to make friends in an elitist wizarding school as it is to make friends in the muggle world when you have this and it is just annoying. And I'm glad I have you as my friend. Because you're really cool.

Thanks for the cookies! Tell your friend they're really nice. Also, I saw my grandpa's ghost the other day. But it wasn't him. And I don't know if I should approach him. What do you think?

See you on the holidays! Cheers. -Sadie.

* * *

 

Cedric was about to answer Sadie's letter when he realized he had nothing to write to her. No one here made fun of him, mostly because everyone minded their own business. Jeffrey and Annie were the only ones who really minded him and they didn't make a joke of him.

"Well," Jeffrey declared as he came to sit on the grass next to Cedric. "I have no idea what to write to my mom. Which is terrible, since I'd hate to make her worry so much about me. You have any idea?"

"Just tell her you're happy and tell her about your classes and friends."

"I already do that! But it's not enough."

"It's the best you can do to stop your mum from worrying. I don't tell my dads about anything other than that if I have nothing else to tell them." He folded away Sadie's letter and shoved it in his bag. "But I have a friend who can't write to her parents."

"Why not?"

"Because of one time when she saw a ghost in the hallways and thought it was her grandpa, until she noticed he had two ears."

Jeffrey made a weird face. "Why would the number of ears matter to anyone?"

"Because a long time ago, my great-uncle George had a twin brother."

"Again, why would the number of ears matter?"

"My uncle George lost an ear and his brother died the same year."

"Oh. Now that makes sense." Jeffrey still looked confused. "But why can't she tell her parents?"

"Because her mom would tell my uncle George, and it will be really bad."

* * *

 

Sadie mustered up courage and walked to the library all by herself, stopping at the entrance and looking around to find the teenaged-looking ghost she kept running into for a long time. And she finally caught him, having fun with a few of the older students.

She walked up to them, trying to not feel awkward with herself, and cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Mr. Weasley?"

The crowd broke up and the ghost turned to her with a big smile. "I prefer Fred."

"I'm Sadie," she said, her voice shaking. "My grandpa really misses you."

"Your grandpa?"

"George. George Weasley."

The others talked among themselves and decided to leave, which meant Sadie was now alone (somewhat) in a hallway talking to a ghost. And she was scared. But Fred seemed nice. His smile faltered when she said her grandpa's name, but quickly returned, brighter than before. "How is he? I hope the shop's still running. He didn't close it just because of me, did he?"

"No, he's… It's still open. And my uncle Fred works there too."

"So your grandfather finally replaced me?"

"No, I don't think so."

He laughed. He had a nice laugh. "And how's everyone else? Are we still the biggest family around?"

"I think so." Sadie felt herself ease up. "I don't know. I can ask Grandpa that. Or Uncle Bill."

"Why not your great-grandmother? Molly. Your great-grandmother Molly."

"Gran died a long time ago. I was six."

Fred's face fell. "Oh. Should've expected that. It has been a long time, after all." He sighed, and then added, "a very, very long time."

"Uncle Bill isn't very healthy too," she noted. "But not in his body. He isn't healthy in his mind. My daddy says that in the muggle world that is called dementia. And Auntie Fleur is really worried about him all the time because he acts like it's a war again and he has to protect you from a falling wall."

Fred turned even sadder. "But he's still alive and well, right?"

"Well, the healers say he couldn't be in better shape so I guess he's alive and well." That brought a smile to the ghost's face. "Oh, and Uncle Ron is the only one in my grandpa's family who is nice to me all the time."

"Why is that?"

"Because my friend Cedric and I aren't well in our minds either, but we were born with that not-wellness, and Aunt Hermione is very mean to both of us all the time and Cedric's grandpa Harry is not really a nice grandpa so Ron tries to make it up for us. And no one else really has time for us, but Auntie Ginny is always nice and she always takes care of us and my grandpa is lots of fun so they don't count."

"How is Hermione not nice to anyone? She's one of the nicest girls I knew."

"She always asks Cedric if he wants to eat or sing, and she always tries to make me behave like someone normal, and it's annoying because then Cedric cries and my mummy tells her that she doesn't want her near us, no matter how good her intentions are."

The ghost smiled then, and Sadie smiled too. "And are her intentions good?"

"I think so. I don't think Cedric is singing at the table because he wants to, and I don't like behaving like someone normal, but if it annoys her then it annoys her and she needs to deal with it."

Sadie liked talking to Fred. She decided to tell George about that. She was pretty sure it will cheer him up.

* * *

 

Roxanne never thought she'll ever see her dad as happy as he was when she went to see him on her day off. Being an auror was tiring. She was thankful for Uncle Harry for making her take her days off seriously.

She walked through the back of the shop, expecting to see George stare at the portrait of his brother while drinking either whiskey or coffee. He was doing neither, to her surprise.

"Dad, is something wrong?"

George lifted his eyes from the letter he held, smiling wide. "Your daughter is a genius, Roxy. Utterly genius."

"Let's pretend I didn't know that, Dad." She sat in the chair in front of him. "What makes her a genius?"

"You have to read this!" He handed her the letter, overly eager. "I know she's a bright girl, but finally! Finally someone meets him and writes to me in return!"

Roxanne took the letter, put her glasses on and read.

'First of all, Grandpa, I don't want you to feel bad about what I'm going to tell you. So try to keep calm.

Cedric and I are writing each other all the time. He has new friends who speak Latin and know lots of songs from musical theatre and he wants me to meet them. Now I need to go see some musical theatre. His friends sound really nice. I don't really have new friends, but I'm getting there. The others in Ravenclaw are just trying to analyze me psychologically, so I'm looking for friends in other houses. So far there's Gina, she's a Hufflepuff and a year above me and I like her a lot, but she's my only friend.'

"I know all of that," Roxanne muttered. "She wrote to me too."

"No no no! Roxanne, read it to the end."

'I think I have another friend though. Fred. He's a ghost. He's the ghost of your brother, Grandpa. I don't want you to feel bad about this. He misses you very much, but he's happy being at Hogwarts and he asks a lot about us. I told him about Bill's dementia (is that how you spell it? I think so?) and about Aunt Hermione and Uncle Harry and everything. He told me to tell you that he's very happy and he doesn't hope that you'll join him any time soon, because he expects you to live for long enough that when you do join him, you'll have a lot more to tell him than just what I told him. And if you want me to tell him things from you, I can. He's usually near the library with the older guys so I can talk to him all the time.

I miss you, Grandpa. Tell Grandma and Uncle Fred that I miss them too and that Hogwarts is a very nice place.

See you on the holidays! Cheers. -Sadie.'

Roxanne was crying when she gave George the letter back. George was concerned. "What's wrong, Roxy?"

"Why is my daughter hiding the fact that she's talking to her great-uncle from me, but tells you everything? I feel like I'm losing to you now."

"Stop crying. You'll always lose to me and you know it. But you're a lot like your mother, and that is probably why she didn't tell you."

"Dad, come on!"

"She didn't tell you because she knew you'll cry, and it's not sad. My brother is happy. I am happy. We can still talk through letters, and that's a good thing. So don't cry. It isn't worth it."

"Just don't die any time soon, okay Dad?"

"I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fred and George talking to each other through Sadie is an idea I had when I thought about including Fred in this story. And Fred is generally very happy being a ghost. It definitely is a perk for a trickster like him.
> 
> Earworm warning ahead, next chapter features some Hamilton songs. Annie and Jeffrey do not discriminate between musicals, and I am a bit late to the party, so I had to. I have some songs stuck in my head. So be prepared.


	5. Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is weird. It will seem like a filler, or like it's completely out of place, but incorporating various different ideas into one chapter usually does that to me. I would know, I wrote a story where every chapter incorporates about five different ideas and it is really disorganized and only I can make sense of it. But I had to write them all down. One of those ideas will be explored upon in the future and one of those ideas will explain itself in the next part, trust me.
> 
> So if you can't make sense of this part, I am very sorry, I will try my hardest to fix it as I go along.

"Alexander joins forces with James Madison and John Jay to write a series of essays defending the new United States Constitution, called the Federalist Papers. The plan was to write –"

"What Alexander?"

"Hamilton!" Jeffrey looked shocked. "Alexander Hamilton. He's a founding father! You'd think that even the Brits –"

"Not now, Walker."

"Okay. I'll explain everything later. Anyway, the plan was to write twenty-five essays –"

Annie groaned. "Jeffrey, any musical. Please. Even A Chorus Line. No Hamilton!"

"Why no Hamilton? It's a great musical!"

"I don't want to sing You'll Be Back now, okay?"

"Okay. Sure." Jeffrey picked up his stuff. "I'll be leaving you now."

"What? No!" Annie tried to catch him. "I don't want you to leave."

"I need to the bathroom, Annie. I can go to the bathroom."

"Oh. Sure, of course. Go."

Jeffrey went to the boys' bathroom. He always did, no one stopped him from going there. He entered a stall, hoping everything will be all right, and then he was hit with the realization that he will have to stop going to the boys' bathroom if he wants to pass.

There was blood all over his underwear.

Groaning, he took a book from his bag. Sure, his mother told him it was going to happen sooner or later and that he should start preparing for when it happens, but of course he didn't listen to her and of course she was right. He knew it was useless to try and leave the bathroom. He could wait until someone he knew passed and write them a note, but… It would take a long time. He just read his book and waited until everyone left. His mom told him toilet paper could be good as a replacement in case of emergency, but he didn't feel like that would work. A bit of time later, he was discovered.

"Is anyone here?"

If before that he was laughing from things he read, now Jeffrey fell silent. "Is anyone here?" Jeffrey cleared his throat. "Hey," that voice called. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he said. "I'm fine."

"You've been there for quite a while, you know."

"How would you know? Are you following me? Because that's creepy, dude."

"I'm going to ask again. Is everything okay?"

"Not really." Jeffrey got that clot in his throat again.

"What's wrong?"

"I… Can you please not tell anyone?"

"It's your private business and I'm trying to help, so I'm not going to tell anyone nothing."

"I got my first period."

There was silence, and then. "Oh. But why are you in the boys' bathroom?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen, I swear. If I had known I would've gone to the girls' room, but then I'd be called out for it."

"Oh, okay."

"I'm Jeffrey, by the way. Pukwudgie first year."

"Victor. Wampus third." There was another moment of silence. "Hey, Jeffrey."

"Yeah?"

"Just wait here. I'm going to help you, but it will take some time so wait here."

* * *

As the students were fleeing out of the dining hall, Tori bumped into someone. Michael tried to pull her after him but she just stood there, unable to keep going.

"Hey, Tori."

"Hey, Remus."

There was that awkward smile that Michael didn't like seeing on her and she was blushing like crazy. Then again, the guy's hair was turning pink as he was turning into a tomato himself.

"How are your classes so far?" Oh god, that was the most awkward sentence Michael heard anyone say ever.

"They're good. I'm… I saw something the other day but…"

"You'll tell me what that was, right? I would love to know."

"Sure."

"Okay. Cool." The pink-haired tomato boy turned and went, still painfully bright red. Tori was biting her lip.

And then Michael hit her on her back.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

"What's going on between you and the Gryffindor prefect?"

"He's my cousin." Michael called bullshit. "Yes, I have a lot of cousins."

"I have a lot of cousins too but when I see them I don't blush like crazy and forget my words. What's going on between you and that guy, Tori?"

"I told you, he's my cousin. His mother is my dad's cousin and his dad is Harry's godson."

"So basically, you have a crush on your cousin."

"It's not like that!" Tori was a terrible liar. "We're second cousins, and we're not even remotely related. I'm genetically Scorpius's daughter, you know that."

"Isn't your grandpa's godson the son of this Tonks lady you told me about?"

"Umm, yeah?"

"So you are remotely related to him. I remember your grandparents' house in London, there's a family tree listing his grandmother as the sister of your great-grandmother on Scorpius's side."

"Okay, so there's that –"

"And still. You have a crush on your cousin."

"Second cousin!"

"Who happens to be the Gryffindor prefect."

"Yeah. Okay? Yeah, I do. But let's not pretend you have a thing for CR."

"But that's different! One, he's not family." Tori rolled her eyes. "Two, it's not a crush. Three, he has a girlfriend and I am still looking for anyone else in this school who is polyamorous. I can have a relationship with monogamists, but –"

"I will cut it right there because I don't want you to get to yet another rant about polyamory."

"Okay, but my point still stands. Whatever bro-crush I may have for CR, he's not family. That guy, whatshisface –"

"Remus."

"Yeah, that. He's a Gryffindor."

"And so was CR."

"Lady, you're killing me here!"

* * *

 

"I'm sorry I'm late, you guys," Jeffrey said when he got to the dining hall. "I had an… accident."

"It's fine," Annie said with a smile. "We were talking about Hamilton. I was telling Cedric about –"

"Ooh! Can I can I can I?"

"You are not rapping, young man!"

"Alexander Hamilton," Jeffrey started, completely ignoring what Annie told him. "My name is Alexander Hamilton, and there's a million things I haven't done, but just you wait, just you wait!"

"And now I have a million different songs stuck in my mind, thank you, Mr. Walker."

"With pleasure, Miss Denis O'Hare."

"I still don't know what you're talking about." Cedric started piling spaghetti on Jeffrey's plate. "I didn't grow up in the theatre."

"Okay. So, Hamilton. Let's see. Who was Alexander Hamilton?" Jeffrey asked.

"The first Secretary of Treasury of the United States. Married to Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, father of eight, the eldest died at nineteen so the youngest was named after him, died in his late forties and his wife went on to open the first private orphanage in New York before dying in her nineties or something like that."

Jeffrey was about to speak when he gave up and glared at Annie. "May I make a guess who taught him that?"

"I told you I was telling Cedric about this."

"But I wanted to!" He groaned and sat down as far away from Annie as he could. "I wanted to."

"Well, I'm sorry, but you took about an hour to get out of the bathroom."

"Well, I had… complications. An accident. Whatever you want to call it."

"Was that accident why you had a stomach ache the whole day?" Cedric asked. "It usually happens at my house."

"Umm, it's not what you think –"

"My sister has something that I don't really remember its name, it has to do with her ovaries. And it's painful."

"Don't talk about it aloud!" Jeffrey was flushed bright red. "It wasn't supposed to happen."

"Wait, are you talking about –"

"You too, Annie."

To Jeffrey's relief, no one seemed to mind. At least not those who heard him. A few tables away there were a few boys just looking at him and talking, and among them he could see that boy who… supposedly helped him. And he chose to do nothing.

"What's with you and those boys? I don't know any of them."

"Because that's impressive."

"Well, my family is prominent. At least in New York and, quite recently, in Minnesota too. We know a lot of people. I don't know any of them, so that means something."

"We're not judging you," Cedric said after a long silence. "It's okay. I was told I'm a highly functioning autist, honestly."

"Really?" Jeffrey was confused. He ran a hand through his – longer – hair and tilted his head. "You don't seem that way. You're just… normal."

"And you don't come off as anything other than a Jewish vegan talkative boy. No one's judging you."

"I actually dread the day I'll get mine, so if I have you two for advice it will be lovely," Annie laughed. "I have older brothers. All of them are in Horned Serpent, by the way. And you don't know them because they don't talk to me."

"Is one of them called Charlie?"

Jeffrey got smacked over his head. "Not funny!"

"Is that a reference for something?"

"Now you're getting it! Oh my god, Annie, Cedric is finally getting something!"

* * *

 

The door creaked and Einar was awoken from his nap. The sound of rustling plastic bags was something he hadn't heard in a while. A few months, at least. And then came the gasp he didn't want to hear.

"You went to Hogwarts again, didn't you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Black family tree is much more confusing than that, but Michael is a smart cookie. Tori isn't genetically related to Albus, only to Scorp, which means she shares more genetic material with Teddy and Victoire's children than Cedric, who is genetically Albus's child. But the Potters are related to the Blacks, even remotely (it is presumed that James Potter's father Fleamont was the brother or cousin or whatever of Charlus Potter, who married a Black), so there's that.
> 
> And, Einar... Explanations, explanations. He will be the one to also introduce CR (finally), those two are pretty awesome, and that will all happen very soon. As soon as I finish writing that chapter anyway.
> 
> And lastly, Jeffrey. Yes, I know most boys aren't that open about periods and stuff, but hey. I have a long explanation to that. And it will become clearer as Victor becomes a more prominent character, which I totally didn't plan but it will happen. So just a heads up.


	6. Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, second chapter in a day! This hopefully will answer some stuff that are out of place in the previous part. Hopefully.

_"And he's back in London!"_

_"You didn't change much either, Cadmus Potter."_

_"Doesn't your grandmother not allow you to come here anymore?"_

_"What she doesn't know doesn't kill her. I haven't been home since… Late July."_

_"Where were you in July? No, wait, don't tell me. I can guess that on my own."_

_"What are you doing now that you're a graduate?"_

_"I don't know. Looking for a job? My dad doesn't want me home, so I'm just couch surfing at my uncle's until I find a job."_

_"Well, my grandma's apothecary always accepts new employees."_

_"Einar, I am_ not _moving to Vejle. Absolutely not."_

_"Think about it. You're a potions expert, my grandma owns an apothecary…"_

_"I'll have to talk to my parents about it. No, it's not because I'm a wussy, it's because I care about them knowing where I'm going. I don't want to just disappear."_

_"That's okay. I'll be here until October. You can apparate, you know where I live. I'll just wait for you there."_

_"Okay. Oh, and Einar?"_

_"Yes, Potter?"_

_"My cousin saw you and your thestral. Be more careful around Hogwarts next time."_

* * *

 

"I didn't go to Hogwarts this time! I swear!"

"I don't believe you." Hilda Lindgren went to put the plastic bags in the kitchen and turned to glare at her grandson. "You actually miss that place."

"I have friends in Hogwarts. Yes. But they all graduated! I didn't go to Hogwarts!"

"You're not even seventeen yourself. I can't believe you."

"Because I'm a December baby. As my grandmother, you should remember that."

"You have an accent." Hilda grabbed Einar by his wrist. "You were in the United Kingdom."

"I have an accent, wow. And it just so happens that my mom is from Leeds. I speak English as one of my first languages. Grandma, do you even listen to yourself anymore?"

"I lost a son already. I don't need to lose you too."

"Grandma, you're hurting me." When she let him go, he tried to not make a scene of how much his wrist hurt. But it did. It hurt very much. "And I don't see what the big deal is. I went to visit friends. I did not go to Hogwarts, I stayed as far away from there as possible."

"Are you sure?"

"Okay, maybe some people have seen me –"

"Go to your room, Einar. I don't want to see you until tomorrow."

"And however will I be fed?"

"You'll find a way."

* * *

 

"Again. What is there for you in _Denmark_ , of all places?"

CR sighed and rolled his eyes. "Again, Dad. I have a friend there. His grandma has an apothecary. I'll live with them and work for them until I find something to do with my life!"

"CR, I don't like that… Quel est le mot anglais pour decision, James?"

"Decision. I thought you knew that already, Ava."

"Maman, beaucoup de mots anglais sont dérivés du français."

"Je ne veux pas que vous vivez seul au Danemark. Tu es mon bébé, je ne suis pas vous laisser aller si tôt."

"Maman!"

"You heard your mother." James ruffled his son's hair with one hand and wiped his eyes with the other hand.

"I'm not a baby, I'm almost eighteen –"

"Just because we want you out of the house doesn't mean we want you in a whole other country. Look at Petunia, for example –"

"I hate it when you compare me to Petunia. No, I am not going to be as successful as her. I'm never going to be as successful as Little Miss Hermione Granger 2.0. Can't I just live my life as I want to live it? Not all of us complete our A-levels while taking the Hogwarts NEWTs and learning to apparate. Some of us prefer taking things at a slower pace and dealing with one thing at a time."

"You two are lucky Iggy and Andy are at Hogwarts right now," Ava chided at her husband and son and got up.

"Where are you going, Ava?"

"Royal Albert Hall. And back."

Moments later, the door was banged shut. James and CR just stared at each other. It was only after two cups of tea and numerous packs of Jaffa cakes when James leaned in. "You think I'm happy with your sister? No, I am not. I don't think Oxford is the best school she could've gone to."

"Because she's the perfect little –"

"But it doesn't mean I don't respect her choices."

"So what about mine? Dad, I am not perfect. You need to accept that."

"You are your grandfather's first grandson –"

"It's a terrible excuse and you should learn to face that!"

"I was going to say that since you're your grandfather's first grandson, you of all people should know why I need you to be independent."

"And isn't moving in with a friend being independent?"

"No, that is being reckless. I don't know the people you're moving in with. For all I know they could be –"

"I'm talking about Hilda Lindgren! I'm moving in with Hilda Lindgren! You know her very well!"

James's frown turned into a twisted grin, and he leaned back in his chair, looking extra smug. "So why didn't you say that before starting the whole argument over moving to Denmark?"

"Dad, please. Don't make such a big deal out of this."

"You're staying for dinner, right? Your sister will be here –"

"Dad, back to the point."

"I have only one thing to say about this decision." James leaned back in, his smug, twisted grin growing even bigger. "Your sister is going to be so mad at you."

* * *

 

"Andy, Andy, give me your answer, do."

"It's not funny anymore!"

"I'm half crazy –"

"Stop it."

"All for the love of –"

"I said stop it!" The small, swirly butterfly dissipated as soon as the redhead lowered his wand. "Tori, it's not funny."

"You should thank me for not singing the patronus version." The blonde was braiding her hair and dodging physical attacks at the same time. Or, at least, trying to.

"What, 'Andy, Andy, create a butterfly, for if you won't do it right now then surely I will die'?"

"Yes, that."

Andy shoved his wand into his pocket and rubbed his hands. "I still don't get why you took me on a patronus practice when you know I don't need it."

"I needed to talk to you about something. You're the only one left in this school who I can trust."

"Oh wow, this probably means you lost trust in the entire universe if I'm the only one left."

"More or less, yes."

"Well, CR is moving to Denmark and Petunia is being a bitch but sure, why not, I can take some more baggage. What's up?"

"Why is CR moving to Denmark? Petunia is always a bitch, that I can understand, but why is CR moving to Denmark?"

"I don't know. He just wrote to me and told me that he's moving to Denmark, and he gave me an address to write to. But we're here to talk about you. Not me."

"You really should've been a Hufflepuff."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Astoria Demetria Bellatrix Potter-Malfoy."

"Antioch Gaunt Potter– wait a sec. It only now occurred to me."

"What only now occurred to you?"

"Antioch is supposed to be the eldest and Cadmus owned the resurrection stone, no?"

"That is the fable, yes."

"So why is Iggy such a pain in the ass?"

Andy started laughing at that. "I have no idea."

The two laughed until losing breath, and only once they relaxed did Andy start talking again. "My dad isn't big on fables, you know. Muggle fairy tales, sure. Religious myths, of course. When Harry told him to name his sons after the Peverell brothers, my dad got so lost."

"Did your mum tell you that?"

"Yeah, she did. So she looked through fable books and history books and when she was pregnant with CR and Petunia, she told my dad that if they have a son, his name will be Antioch. Then my dad completely forgot about it and they named him Cadmus."

"My parents just named us after dead loved ones."

"I know, and that's what sad about my dad naming all of us."

Tori went into another laughing fit. "At least none of us is Auntie Vi."

"Oh no. You are not making fun of Auntie Vi."

"Not making fun of her. We all know she went through a nightmare."

"We're getting out of the subject. Talk! Now! What is your problem?"

"I like Remus."

"Yeah, that's common knowledge. Anything else?"

"No, like… Like."

"Again, that's common knowledge. At least among us."

"Tori, you said you were going to practice something with your cousin!" A red, breathless Michael made it to the spot where Tori and Andy hoped to isolate themselves to. "I don't think you're –"

"Hello there, Vreeland."

"Potter. Tori, Meeple is hungry and I am too."

Tori wanted to slap them both. She also wanted to make them kiss, like she used to do to her dolls, and start screaming "OTP!". She knew neither would be favorable by them, but she still wanted to.

"Michael, you can wait a few moments, right? I need to say something to Andy and –"

"Well, do it quickly. I'm kind of dying here."

Tori bit her lip and looked at her cousin. "I guess I'll see you at dinner?"

"Sure. We can talk about it anytime."

* * *

 

"But how will you be here for the holidays?" Ava loaded a mass of mashed potatoes on her son's plate, knowing well how much he could eat. And tonight was a special occasion.

"Maman, I can apparate. I'll be here in the blink of an eye."

"I still can't believe this incompetent jerk is moving to Denmark," Petunia remarked.

"Petunia!"

"What? It's true! He's incompetent."

"Well, I am so sorry I'm not going to a muggle university, ma chère soeur. But I need to live my life out of your shadow for once."

"Hey, stop it." Ava glared at both children. Two pairs of glasses were pushed up in an angry manner. "Petunia, your brother has a job in Denmark."

"I'll bet."

"I know you two hate each other, but try to be civil for once. At least while we're having dinner."

CR stuck his spoon in his mashed potatoes, to the dismay of both women at the table, and shoved it in his mouth. "Hilda says –"

"Don't speak with your mouth full."

He swallowed. "Hilda says they're always open to hire more employees, and I can always learn something from her."

"Did she say that or Einar?"

"Einar said at first, but then I sent her a letter and she wrote back and explained everything."

"Do you want any of us to tell your brothers?" James asked.

"Umm, no. I told Andy –"

"You told Andy?"

"I wrote to Andy explaining the whole thing, and I know he'll tell Iggy and if he won't then I'll just tell him over the holidays. It's not that difficult."

"Be careful in there," Ava said. "And now, let's change the subject. Petunia, how's your degree going?"

CR drowned himself in his food, not wanting to listen to his sister talking about whatever she was studying right now. He just wanted to go to Vejle already. He couldn't wait to go to Vejle.

After dinner, CR apparated himself to Albus and Scorpius's living room. He grabbed his still-packed bags, a piece of paper and a pen, and he wrote.

'Thanks for everything, guys. I'm moving to Vejle. I have a job offer at a friend's place. I'll see you over the holidays, I guess! -CR.'

He put it on the fridge and quickly left, before his uncles came back, knowing full well it would take a while before they did. It was their anniversary after all. He grabbed his bags, focused on the location and left.

Moments later, he was faced with a green wooden door adorned with a sign that read 'Lindgren'. And he knocked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear Hilda isn't that mean. She's very strict, and sometimes it comes off as being mean. But, I mean, she lost her son and her daughter-in-law and all she has now is her grandson. Her concern has a much more grounded basis, but that's for later.
> 
> Yes, James is kind of terrible when it comes to naming his children. And I don't just mean about the order of names, I also mean the names themselves. Cadmus Rubeus, Antioch Gaunt, Ignotus Peverell and Petunia. But I don't blame him. They were all Harry's ideas. Also, the patronus song is based on the Daisy Bell chorus with some tweaking. And it was made up by Tori and CR because Andy hates summoning his patronus. So yeah, little story time there.
> 
> And I know my French is terrible. I have only been studying French for six months, but I like believing that I'm doing well. But Ava Potter is... Well, she's Ava Potter. We'll just say it like that.


	7. Part 7.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is in two parts. Because I decided. It would make no sense if kept as one part. The second part will prolly be up in December, but that depends on how stuck I'll be.

From: Cedric Potter-Malfoy  
To: Sadie Louise Scamander (Lovegood)

The holidays. Are you excited? I'm very excited. Jeffrey says that if I don't have to go home right away I can join him on his family's annual theater outing, but I don't know what's going to happen yet. I need to ask my grandpa.

So, my grandfather wrote to me a couple of days ago. This is the whole point of this letter, really. Harry wrote to me a couple of days ago because he was not informed that I was not a Hogwarts student. He and my dad had a Hallows' Eve outing, just the two of them like they do every year. And he asked about me, why I never send him owls. And my dad told him that it's because I don't send owls that often because the time difference between Massachusetts and Scotland is much greater than England and Scotland. I think it meant my dad is mad at him for some reason, but I can't imagine why. And now I'm terrified of the holidays. I'm excited and scared.

On another note, remind me to hit Jeffrey over his head for getting that sentence stuck in my mind after telling him this whole story. Also, funny story, I didn't have as much fun this Hallows' Eve as you know I usually do because, as I have told you before, Jeffrey is extremely accident-prone. Two days before the school party he fell in the shower and broke his leg. And Jeffrey and Annie and Justin – I didn't tell you much about him but I will in the future – were planning on dressing up as Hamilton characters. I'll tell you over Christmas dinner what that means. I was going to go with them, because they lacked a fourth member to their group costume, so they forced me to join and then Jeffrey broke his leg so neither of us had any fun.

I hope you had more fun than I did. I know you did. See you on Christmas! Cheers.

* * *

 

From: Sadie Louise Lovegood (Scamander)  
To: Cedric Craig Potter-Malfoy

I spent all day on October 31st with Gina speaking to a ghost about pranks we could pull on people. That ghost was Uncle Fred. Don't worry, I told him about you. I said only good things. He likes you already.

I can't wait to vacation in America over the summer like we planned! You'll introduce me to your friends, right? Well, I must introduce you to Gina. She's the only person who isn't family who doesn't comment on my speech. She's like… She's really great. You'll see. But we just have to make that come true, all right? We can't not go to America this summer.

Cheers to you too! See you in December.

* * *

 

November was relatively uneventful, which was a good thing. It was only as they were nearing Christmas when Astoria started feeling like she was being watched.

Everyone was packing when Katherine Yaxley started shouting that there was a boy in the girls' dorms, getting the reply that "I am not in the girls' dorms, I am merely watching from the doorway."

"Well, watching from the doorway is peeping and that is inappropriate, Mr. Potter!" Katherine hissed.

"Miss Yaxley, I am wounded!"

"You're a prefect, Antioch. Behave like it."

"And so are you, Katherine, but I don't see you behaving."

"Just get lost."

"Aye, captain!" He turned, as if to leave. "But not before I speak to Astoria."

"She'll talk to you after she's done packing!" Katherine kicked the door shut and went back to her bed, to the sounds of the other girls' giggles. "So, you started saying something?"

"Yeah. I started saying something." Imogen Sayre took a deep breath and went on with her rant about how mad she was at her boyfriend for doing this and that, and Tori didn't want to listen to that at all. Imogen was telling that story to everyone lately, even if they wouldn't listen. She even caught her trying to share that story with her boyfriend only to realize it was him and stop mid-sentence. "…So I have finally decided how to get my revenge."

"Do tell, Imogen, how will you get your revenge?"

"That I still need to discuss with Professor Slughorn, but it will involve potions and some chocolate that I need to bribe out of someone."

"So basically you have nothing."

"More or less." And then, "what did you guys think about the movie night we organized on Halloween?"

"Why would you do that to people?!" Eloise asked. She was still disturbed since then.

"Well, at least you sent the first years away before getting to Silence of The Lambs," Tori noted.

"Again, why would you do that to people?!"

"You're forgetting Coraline." Katherine exhaled sharply. "And that movie with the twins and redrum and all that."

"The Shining?"

"Yes!"

"It's a holiday classic." Tori rolled her eyes. "My dads don't let me go through the holiday without watching it. They say it's because they're trying to build up my inner strength, but mostly they're making me a female version of Julian Albans."

"Who?"

"He's a character in a book called Wonder. He's got severe anxiety issues which lead up to him bullying the main character, who has some sort of deformity, and eventually he's transferred to a different school." The room went quiet for a while after that. "But Coraline is worse."

"Coraline is scarier than any animated movie should ever be."

"It's written in such a way that adults would have nightmares reading the book but children would find it perfectly nice and appropriate."

"Wait, it's a book?!"

Imogen bent over to her bedside table and took out a book that had seen much better days. "My favorite, actually."

"No! Don't show it to us! No!"

The Malfoy spawn and muggle-born shared a look, laughed, and went back to packing.

* * *

 

"The train should've been here a long time ago."

"Two minutes ago, Scorpius. That's not too long."

"But what if something happened to the train and –"

"Nothing happened to the train. I can see it now. Breathe. Do you remember how to do that or should I remind you how to do it manually?"

"Everything is going to be all right."

"See? Even Cedric says so."

"Oh, don't pretend you're not as scared as I am."

When the red train made it to the station, finally, was the moment Scorpius allowed himself to breathe. Seeing their daughter get off the train, trying to not listen to what her friends say for the sake of not tripping over, was a great relief for them. After breaking her nose by tripping over other people, anything was an improvement for Astoria.

The angry call of Meeple trying to fly in their direction put Tori in focus and she started running towards them.

She managed to knock Albus off-balance as she jumped on him. She hasn't done it since first year. He had to force her to put her legs on the floor. "Astoria, is something wrong?"

"I just missed you, that's all."

"That can't be it."

She looked to the side, and then said "I'll tell you later, okay? And only you."

"Why not the rest of us too?" Scorpius asked.

"Because it's something I can't talk about with you." She hugged him too, this time not jumping. "You'll freak out."

"I don't freak out."

"Scorp, love, you do. A lot." Albus took charge of the bags and the birdcage and the family made their way out of the platform. "Your aunt Lily is back."

"Where was she this time?"

"Morocco. She met up with Lysander and they decided to join forces for the rest of the trip."

"Oh, yeah. Sadie told me about it. She says he wrote to her and sent her some stuff from there. I don't remember what she said he was doing there, but apparently it's something important."

"And did Ruby say anything about that?"

Lily's daughter Ruby was the only family member still at Hogwarts that Tori didn't feel compelled to talk to very much. So she had no idea what she thought about it. "Well, no. We don't talk exactly."

"Are you sure your uncle Dudley will be comfortable around so many wizards this holiday?" Scorpius asked.

"Wait, we're going to Dudley?" Cedric's face turned very sad. "No! I wanted to be with Sadie! I wanted to meet her friend!"

"We're staying home. We'll be with Sadie on New Year's Eve. Christmas will be celebrated with your great-uncle Dudley."

Cedric groaned in frustration, trying to force himself not to cry in the middle of the train station. It just wasn't fair, in his opinion. "But I promised my friends that I'll go with Sadie and pick stuff for them."

"You can still go with Sadie and pick stuff for them. And you told us nothing about them."

"I did! They're Jeffrey and Annie, Annie's family in New York are very weird but both her families are pure-blooded, Jeffrey doesn't know his dad but his mum is a muggle and his sister is a muggle but they don't have the same dad, they both like musical theatre and Jeffrey is accident-prone and he broke his leg two days before Hallows' Eve and he's got the same period problem that Tori has. And it's weird."

"Why is it weird?"

"Because he's tiny. He's not supposed to have it if he's tiny."

"Polycystic ovaries can also happen to tiny people," Tori chided. "Look at me."

"Well, you're not exactly tiny."

"Dad, Cedric is being mean!"

"Cedric, stop being mean to your sister."

Tori stuck out her tongue, and Cedric stuck out his tongue. And as they were going home, to 12 Grimmauld Place, Tori couldn't help but feel like she was being watched.

And as she opened the door there were CR's things, as well as things she didn't recognize, thrown all over the hall.

"Will you please do us a favor and go tell your cousin to get his things from here before someone breaks a limb over anything, Tori?"

"But I just came home!"

"But Cedric is scared of CR's friend. He brought a friend. Please do that."

And Tori did. But she didn't really want to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next part: the Walker family holiday traditions, some Sadie and Cedric adorableness, a bit more Einar than I probably should be writing and a Dudley freak-out. So just you wait.


	8. Part 7.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too early a holiday chapter, but it was done and I want to keep going. And besides. I don't celebrate Christmas. Hanukkah is actually at the end of December till January first, but it doesn't really matter to anyone so who cares, I can do whatever. So I can't keep going if I have things in the works. This isn't TMB (long story what that is). I think that's why I can't write TMB...
> 
> I'm also working on a story called "The Subtle Difference Between Legilimency and Divination", it touches stuff I mention in this part and it's going to be a part of this story. So another reason I posted early.
> 
> So, too short Jeffrey parts. And not much Einar as I thought there would be. And some Fantastic Beasts spoilers, if character names are spoilers, I dunno. But lots of Lorcan, I really like Lorcan, and lots of Sadie, I really like Sadie too. Sibling quarrels, annoying each other, the usual stuff. Enjoy.
> 
> Warnings ahead - in Cedric's first part there are two odd things. One is a question about Passover. The second is info about Hairspray. Don't take this seriously! My explanations are a lot better than that, it's just Heather (you'll see who). And as for the question, well, a real question I had once. So, there's that.

Alice was hogging the computer and Jeffrey was getting very mad at her. His leg was still healing, the other consoles were unplugged since his mom liked unplugging them if no one was using them, and there was so much spinning in the chair he could do before getting bored with it. And he just wanted to play Orwell. He deserved it.

"Why are you still here, you leech?"

"Because I want the computer!"

"Well, I have a project to do!"

"And I wasn't home for four months, and talking to this… Darren Goldstein guy on Facebook doesn't seem like a project to me!"

"Mom, tell Jeffrey to get off me!"

"Mom, Alice isn't doing anything important! I want to play something!"

"I don't want to hear from either of you! You're grown up, both of you. Solve your problems yourselves!"

"Who is this guy anyway? I don't know him."

"Get off me!"

Jeffrey leaned over Alice's shoulder and looked at the screen. "He's older, isn't he?"

"Jeffrey, one more look and I'm kicking you in the balls you don't have yet. I said get off me!"

"Fine. I'll get off you. If you give me the computer."

"I'll go and plug in the xbox so you can play Final Fantasy, okay?"

"Thank you!" As Alice got up and went to plug in the console, Jeffrey quickly jumped to her seat and opened Orwell. It appeared that Alice created a second file and finished the game without him. He was going to kill her.

"All plu- Jeffrey! What the hell?!"

"Why did you finish the game without me?"

"I didn't want to. It was Darren."

"And who is this guy again?"

"He's a senior at my school and we're talking because we just so happen to be working together on getting a D&D club opened at school, okay?"

"Nerd."

"Wrong. The word you're looking for is geek."

"Doesn't sound as good as nerd. That's why I said it. I know I had to say geek, but it didn't sound right."

Alice pushed Jeffrey away on the chair and rolled the second chair to place. "So we're trying to get a D&D club opened at school and he came here the other day to write our proposition to his math teacher for sponsorship, alright. Then he saw we have Orwell, he asked about the game, I showed him the first chapter and he got really into it. And I told him we weren't past the middle of chapter three, you know, with the nice guy messages Nina is getting on Singular? And we got there, so I asked him to stop. And then I decided that maybe I should start brainstorming and he'll join, he kept playing, eventually he got to chapter four so I joined him and…"

"And you finished the game without me."

"I'm sorry! Not my fault though."

"Yes your fault. Mom!"

"For God's sake, Jeffrey, one would think you're turning into your grandmother!" Eliza was making her way up the stairs and Jeffrey knew he was in big trouble. "I thought your cast was removed two weeks ago, why are you still complaining?!"

"Alice did something I asked her not to do without me."

"And that is a reason for me to leave the kitchen?"

"I know you were in the middle of making latkes but –"

"No but." Eliza leaned against the door. "When I get shifts over the holidays, I don't say but. And that is much less tiring than your complaints. And you, Alice, why did you do what Jeffrey asked you not to do?"

"I didn't want to do it!"

"And back to you, Jeffrey." He rolled to her, trying not to get too scolded. "Why do I have to get a letter from your friend and not you that you might have a serious condition that might affect your body in a pretty terrifying way?"

"But I don't. I asked Kayla. She's the head of the student council and I think she has it too. She says it's very normal."

"You asked the head of your student council and not your mother, who has been a nurse for over twenty years?"

"Sorry, Mom."

"Can I go back to making latkes now?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Jeffrey, no wise-assing off to me."

"Okay."

After Eliza left, Alice muttered "Glory to Arstotzka greatest country" and sent Jeffrey into a laughing fit. "So do you want to play Orwell and finish the game with me or play a random game of Papers, Please?"

"Papers, Please!"

"Juliet was responsible for everything," Alice muttered.

"Oh my god, Alice! Mom!"

* * *

 

"Grandpa Draco!" Cedric leeched onto his grandfather. "You're finally here!"

"We have seen each other less than a week ago, child."

"I still missed you. Dad! Grandpa Draco is here!"

"I heard your cousin is back from Denmark."

"Yeah. His friend scares me though. Can I not introduce him to you?"

"You don't have to, baby bird. You don't have to." Draco ruffled Cedric's hair, smiled and went to the living room. CR and Tori were making lots of noise in the living room. "My lord, Astoria, what are you doing?!"

Cedric sat down on the stairs with his dolls and waited. Everyone was supposed to come today for the night, and then tomorrow was Christmas Day. He got a letter from Jeffrey yesterday. His sister was annoying, his mother made latkes (whatever those were, he didn't really remember what they were), he asked a question Cedric did not understand ("so I just thought about it and in Passover we can't eat chametz, which means we can't eat anything made of a couple of flours that have leaven, but matzos are made of regular flour, and they're not considered chametz, so what is going on here? Shouldn't matzos be considered chametz too?") and he told him of the show they were going to watch, some renewal of a musical called Hairspray or something like that. From what Jeffrey explained Cedric only knew that it had men in dresses and something to do with seaweed.

And then the door opened and with a loud cough, there was Aunt Heather. And Cedric felt like there was his savior right there.

"Aunt Heather! Aunt Heather!" He grabbed the letter and ran to her. "What does hairspray have to do with seaweed?"

"I don't know, what does hairspray have to do with seaweed?" His aunt asked, making a face.

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you!" He shoved the letter in her hand. The only Dursley Hogwarts graduate took the letter and read it through, smiling at the end.

"Hairspray is a musical, Ceddie. It's about a fat girl called Tracy who lives during the segregation period in the United States and wants to be a dancer on a TV show or something like that. I saw that three years ago. Lovely musical."

"So why seaweed?"

"One of her friends' name is Seaweed."

"That's weird."

"I know, right?" Heather gave him a cheeky smile and winked. "I'm going to annoy your dad. Don't say anything to anyone, okay?"

"Okay."

And Cedric returned to his spot on the stairs. He had paper and bright markers to draw with, he had some books Jeffrey lent him, there was some chocolate and his dolls and he was very, very bored. He heard his dad yell Heather's name in the kitchen, and Tori and CR talking to Grandpa, but he didn't do anything.

So he just waited.

* * *

 

Sadie wasn't happy with not celebrating with Cedric, but she was more than happy to be celebrating with her grandpa Newt. Even though her parents always insisted that it didn't necessarily mean good things. But she just really loved her grandpa Newt and grandma Teeny, and spending the holidays with them was the second-best thing to do, after spending them with Grandpa George and the Weasley family.

"Grandma Teeny," she asked when she was sure they were alone in the room one day. "What is Ilvermorny like?"

"Why do you ask, Sadie?"

"Because I don't know what it's like."

"Well, it was a long time since I was an Ilvermorny student myself," she said with a sigh. "I don't know if they still have some rules we used to have –"

"Please, grandma?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie, I don't know how to explain this to you."

"So you should try really-really hard."

"If you really want me to, I'll ask my sister for help." Then Sadie looked confused. "Or your brother. Or your uncle, if he thinks of joining us this holiday. You know, Legilimency is a family talent."

"Is your sister a Legilimens?"

"Yeah. She… she was."

"Oh. So I'll go get Nolan! You wait here!"

But Nolan was nowhere Sadie was allowed to go to alone. He was working with grandpa on the Fire Slug stuff. So Sadie went back inside and threw herself on the couch in despair.

"What now, Sadie?"

"I want Nolan." She grunted. "I want Nolan or Uncle Lorcan or Cedric! They can all tell me what Ilvermorny is like! And you can't!"

"No, Sadie, that's not –"

And then Sadie started crying. And screaming. Porpentina got up and went outside, trying to get away from the screaming pre-teen. She found Newt and Nolan sitting in the yard, going over Newt's scribbles. How they kept themselves warm was beyond her understanding.

"As much as I enjoy seeing the two of you bond over your love of fantastic creatures, Nolan, I need you right now!" She got a chorus of "but Teeny!" and "but grandma!", but she didn't let it work on her. "Nolan, now. Your sister is having a meltdown."

The annoyed teen got up and went inside. Sadie was still screaming, and now she was even throwing books around. It was a disaster.

"Sadie, stop it!"

"No!"

"Go behind the stairs until you've relaxed."

"No! I don'wanna!"

"Sadie, you have no choice. Go behind the stairs until you've relaxed!"

When that didn't work, Nolan grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her behind the stairs. She kept screaming and crying. But Nolan was unfazed by it. He knew it was going to pass soon.

* * *

 

"No, Mom, please –"

"Eliza, darling, do you really still support that game of hers?"

 _My grandmother is unbearable_ , Jeffrey added to the list of things he'd say when Annie made it to New York. He didn't want her to meet his grandmother.

"Mom, it's not a game! Jeffrey is what he is and you need to –"

"She's eleven! She doesn't even know what she is yet. How can she be so sure she's a he?"

"I'm not having this fight with you again and again. I don't care if you judge me, I don't care if you judge my choices, but I will not allow you to judge my children, and especially not Jeffrey."

"You know he can hear you, right?" Alice said, breaking her silence over her cup of cider. "He always does. He sits on the stairs and listens." There were huffs coming from both Eliza and Eleanor. And as per usual, his grandfather said nothing. He never said anything.

"Jeffrey, baby, why aren't you in bed yet?" Eliza called.

"Because I don't want to go to bed if you're fighting over me."

"Do you want to come downstairs and have a cup of cider before going to bed?"

"Can I stay up late tonight?" Please say yes. Please say yes.

"You can, but isn't your friend coming tomorrow?"

"In the afternoon!"

"Jeffrey, come here, boy."

Those were the first words his grandpa said all day long. So Jeffrey got downstairs, grabbing a good portion of the blanket Alice was hogging for herself and getting smacked for it. His grandpa looked at him, not moving a limb. The chair wasn't even rocking.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"You don't have to listen to your grandma, my boy. Her head is full of nonsense."

"Well, how about instead of fighting, Jeffrey will tell us about his friends?" Alice suggested.

"But I told you about them!"

"No you didn't. You just said their names."

"Okay, well, there's Annie, and Justin, and Cedric, Justin is a no-maj-born and Annie and Cedric are– don't ask what a no-maj is. So Annie and Cedric are pure-bloods or something like that. And…"

* * *

 

"Dad, this isn't so bad."

"You're right. It isn't. It's just… old habits die hard."

"Another drink, Dudley? It might help."

"Get that smirk off your mouth, James. You're –"

"It's fine. No, thank you."

Ava liked being an outsider in this family, even though she wasn't an outsider for over twenty years by now. She thought Dudley was going softer with age. His wife, however, did not. And she thought that was an interesting dynamic.

"Am I not the host, James? Did I forget something and this happens to be your home?"

"You'd still offer him a drink. Look at the poor man!"

"Doesn't mean you have to do that for me."

"Dad, Albus is overreacting!"

"James, you're forty-two, almost forty-three. This isn't an appropriate age to complain to your dad about something your brother is doing."

"Come on, Mum! Not you too!"

"I think it was a bad idea to make the children stay upstairs," Ava said. "I'm sure they would think this is funny."

"This is exactly why all the kids, and Heather, are upstairs." Victoria was possibly the only child of Dudley that Ava couldn't stand.

"Can't the kids be part of the fun too? And Heather is an adult. She should be part of this."

"Well, Heather has Tourette's –"

"I can't believe you stereotype your own sister, Vicky. Heather doesn't use profanities at all! Well, almost."

"Shut up, James. And then there's the thing where you're French, so maybe you don't really understand how raising children in England is –"

"Vicky, you are the strictest mother I know," her brother Peter noted. "You can't use that card every time you're talking to Ava."

"If I had my say my children would be here right now, not holed up upstairs with nothing to do."

"Can't you wait for Lily before you start fighting?" Heather called from upstairs. "We can hear you all the way here and Tori was in the middle of telling us about the movie night they had on Hallows' Eve!" Victoria fell silent. "And yes, Vicky, it means I heard your comments too!"

"Busted," James said with a smile.

"Anyway, just shut up already!"

"Aye, captain!"

"You too, James."

Hours later, after most went to sleep and only James, Albus and Heather remained awake, came a knock on the door. The knock was followed by the door's squeaks and footsteps.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Lily joked.

"What is there for you to interrupt?" Heather whispered and coughed.

"If only Lysander didn't leave me stuck with paperwork, I would've been here sooner for the annual Victoria Francis-Dursley rant about Tourette's and autism and how she's the only one in the family brave enough to talk about it openly like that."

"At least you're here, Lily. At least you're here."

"And I'm glad to be here!"

* * *

 

Christmas Day was going to be interesting, Lorcan knew the moment he walked into the house in Dorset and was met with an aerial attack.

"Uncle Lorcan!" Sadie jumped on her uncle, paying absolutely no attention to anyone else. "I need to ask you a question!"

"So ask. I'm always here to answer."

"Lorcan Scamander, Legilimens, seer and prophet," Luna joked from the kitchen, where she was helping Tina get everything ready. For some reason. She was never the cook of the family. "Here for your every question about the past, present or future."

"Mum, it stopped being funny years ago."

"So, what is Ilvermorny like?" Sadie tilted her head. "You can see gran's experience, don't you?"

"Unfortunately for us, peanut, gran has mastered the art of living with Legilimens and countering Legilimency, so we have no other choice than to think of a better solution." Sadie frowned and Lorcan laughed. "Come on, your dad probably knows better."

"But Dad was never in Ilvermorny! Just in New York!"

"During his career your dad visited many schools of witchcraft and wizardry, peanut. You can't know if he has been there or not unless you ask him."

"I wanted to ask Cedric," she muttered. "But Cedric is celebrating with his uncle Dudley back in London and we're here in Dorset and it's not like it's a bad thing but I really wanted to know if it's really as good as he says it is."

"You miss Cedric, don't you?" She nodded. Lorcan picked his niece up in his arms, for a second forgetting that she is already eleven years old, and the two went to sit on the couch in the living room. "Well, we're going to see him for New Year's. And then you can ask him."

"Uncle Lorcan, why don't I have any cousins from you?" Lorcan looked at her confused.

"But you do. Are Seth and Amethyst not good enough?"

"No, I mean cousins from you here! Why do they have to be with their mum and not here?"

"That I ask even myself."

"It's because Janis doesn't know how to handle your uncle," Lysander commented from the other couch. "And for your information, I was in Ilvermorny for some time."

"But you were never a student there, so that doesn't count."

"Lorcan wasn't a student there either. You know he was a Hufflepuff."

"And I'm still very much proud of it, Lys."

"What does Trelawney say about that?"            

"What does Trelawney say about what?" Luna asked. "Well?"

"She's going to retire next year and open her academy of divination. And at the same time, she recommended me to McGonagall and Ardelean to be Head of Hufflepuff next year, because Professor Sprout is retiring too."

"Aren't you young to be taking this job."

"Well, Roxanne, thanks for contributing to the conversation. But wasn't Severus Snape twenty-one when he became Head of Slytherin?"

"I can't believe it," Lorcan said, pretending to choke. "I can't– I can't believe it –"

"What? What's wrong?" Lysander quickly got up and motioned to Sadie to get away.

"My brother is protecting me! A Christmas miracle!"

Lorcan got a slap to the chest.

"You idiot! I was really worried!"

"I know! You're so gullible!" Lorcan started laughing, with Roxanne joining him.

A typical Christmas morning in the Scamander family, Lorcan thought to himself. And he hoped he wouldn't say it out loud accidentally. The last time it happened, he remembered, he got his ass kicked.

* * *

 

_"But why would you want to know more about me?"_

_"Because I think we're very much alike, you and I."_

_"No, we're not."_

_"I get it. You don't think being compared to an Obscurial is a good thing, but MACUSA tried to kill me –"_

_"Because you were an Obscurial. I am not suppressed by anyone, I don't fake anything about me, and I don't have to. But don't compare me to you. We're nothing alike."_

Jeffrey didn't know why he was constantly approached by that ghost of that guy, but he was grateful for him not following him home. If he had, it would've been a disaster.

"Leech, you coming? The apple's dropping in three minutes!"

"I want to sleep!"

"So you'll miss the apple dropping?"

"Can I be alone, Alice?"

Alice left the doorframe. "Jeffrey, if you're not coming downstairs now I'm telling Mom you're sick."

"Okay. I'll be down in a minute." After Alice left, Jeffrey got up. He felt like he was weighted down by a rock. He didn't want to be awake for the apple drop, he really didn't want to. Grandma's words still affected him. And there was also Credence Barebone's ghost. And he didn't want to remember either of those.

"Come on, Jeffrey!"

"I'm coming!"

On the last step, he slipped and fell, face down, on the floor. And there went the rest of his vacation.

* * *

 

_Ten._

_Nine._

_Eight._

_Seven._

_Six._

_Five._

_Four._

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

* * *

 

When they got back from the holidays, Jeffrey – once again – broke a limb. He had his left hand in full cast, with a very colorful graffiti decorating part of it. He said it happened because he fell down the stairs back home. Annie smiled and took out a glitter pen to write on his cast. Cedric gave him a lollipop he got from his aunt Heather.

When they got back from the holidays, Trelawney got sick and took a two-week vacation. Lorcan had to replace her for the upper classes as well. He thought it was a good thing, since he got to spend time with his daughter. Trelawney thought it was a good thing, since he was getting experience for the next year and the years to come. Deputy Headmaster Ardelean didn't think it was a good thing, for some reason. Lorcan got himself a warning. Other than that, things were good.

When they got back from the holidays, Tori now knew what to call the person who followed her. She was now familiar with his name and his gaze. His name was Einar Lindgren, and he was a very nice guy.

Didn't make the gaze feel any nicer, though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's say Heather was born during Albus' second year of Hogwarts. She was probably my first HP OC and I'm quite proud of her, so there's that. So I had to put her in. Sorry to everyone.
> 
> I personally find it funny that Lorcan is a Legilimens, even though it's my decision. I just find it funny. It's also why he's the Professor of Divination, but that will be explained in TSDBLD. He has a long story going on there.
> 
> Can't tell what's going to happen in the next part. Haven't watched Fantastic Beasts yet. But it will have Credence in it, and that's good.


	9. Part 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because listening to Stromae late at night makes me thing weird things and, as a result, write weird chapters.
> 
> I already know how the next part is going to go, so this is sort of a filler. Introducing one of Lorcan's kids. Since next part involves Rose's children, I'd rather not have them in this part. But yes, this part is a bit of a filler. Excuse me.
> 
> Stuff happen in the next part! Be prepared! Someone keep me from singing Tom Lehrer right now!

"I feel like I took Ritalin today," Jeffrey said when he made it to the others. "And I didn't. It's a miracle."

"Why? What's wrong with Ritalin?" Annie asked, petting him.

"Why do you take Ritalin?" Cedric tried and earned himself a vicious glare. "I mean, it's a form of amphetamine, no? And amphetamines are drugs. Bad drugs! Why do you take it then?"

"It's methylphenidate, not amphetamine, but yes. It's pretty much the same thing." Jeffrey sighed. "I don't take Ritalin because of the side-effects."

"My older brother Fraser takes Ritalin and he plans ahead so he won't be affected by the side-effects."

"Yeah, well, it's because he can. I don't. I have my whole day planned and the whole list of things I'll be snacking on while on Ritalin and I have chocolate prepared for the end of the day but I end up eating the chocolate too early and everything ends up being terrible."

"How many older brothers do you have?"

"Three. Aidan, Fraser and Charlie. And Charlie is very often the source of many jokes because his middle name starts with a J."

"I'm not happy enough to joke about that," Jeffrey noted. "So don't test me."

"I'm serious. Charles Jacob Guiteau. Named after the assassin, because my parents think they're so funny, and…" And then Annie fell silent.

"Does that have to do with what we were talking about earlier?"

"What were you talking about when earlier?"

"When you were in your private lesson with Professor Clark." Cedric nudged Annie. "Come on, tell him!"

"You tell him!"

"We were talking mostly about your family since you said you knew mine. Go on, talk."

"Well, on my dad's side I'm supposed to marry my cousin in a couple of years, and that's it."

"You're not playing fair. What about your mother's side?"

"I'm not allowed to say anything about my mother's side. It's against the law."

Jeffrey seemed to get over his blue and shoved his notebook and pen to her. "You can't say it, so write it."

"No, I really can't, we're not allowed to –"

"Don't be a chicken! I'll tell you about my family if you tell us about yours!"

The two boys waited while Annie spent ages thinking what to write. She crossed out lines several times and bit her lip more times than she should've, but in the end, she handed out a full page in bad handwriting.

' _We're not allowed to talk about my mother's side of the family because it's against the law. It's against the American law for wizards to marry no-majs_ '

"Muggles."

"Come on, Cedric! Just read."

' _It's against the American law for wizards to marry no-majs or even have any sort of interaction with them. But my great-grandma was and still is in love with one, and he became aware of the wizarding world twice in his life_ '

"Queenie and Jacob? Annie, are you –"

"Shush! Keep your voice down!"

"Okay, sorry."

' _he became aware of the wizarding world twice in his life, and my grandma decided to marry him. They aren't "legally" married, only in the non-magical world, and my great-grandma Queenie found a way to stop my great-grandpa Jacob from talking about it. Their kids always said their last name is Goldstein and that they are pure-bloods. The only exception to that is my uncle Quentin, who changed his name to Kowalski a couple of years ago when he started playing quidditch professionally. And they've been living under the radar for a while now. I don't know how. So no, I'm not a pure-blood. I just have to say those things so my grandparents won't be executed by MACUSA._ '

"So we're related!" Cedric smiled widely. "Well, by lots of marriages. But we're related!"

"I don't get how."

"Your great-grandma Queenie is the sister of Porpentina Scamander, who is the great-grandmother of my uncles Lysander and Lorcan –"

"I know Lorcan! He's a friend of my mom's. I didn't think –"

"Anyway, Lysander is married to my dad's cousin Roxanne. So we're very remotely related through lots of weddings, but related!"

"You two are weird," the blonde noted. "And that's coming from me."

"You have yet to explain how George Orwell turned your Christmas bad."

"I don't celebrate Christmas, Anna-Sophia! I thought we talked about it. I'm an agnostic Jew. And I don't know what the late and great George Orwell has to do with ruining my Hanukkah, not Christmas, but I didn't talk about him. I talked about something completely different."

"Yeah. That's weird. Refusing to talk about one's family in fear of breaking the law, that's not nearly as weird."

"But who are those people anyway? You're forgetting I was born to a non-magical family."

"Lorcan Scamander, my uncle, is the biggest name in divination and has been since he was sixteen," Cedric started. "He's not really my uncle, he's only Sadie's uncle since her father is his twin brother, but everyone calls him that. He's a Legilimens –"

"I am too!" Annie called. "Oh, sorry. Go on."

"But you don't seem like –"

"Grandma taught me not to read people if they don't want me to and I don't think reading you is appropriate because your thoughts are always really random and Jeffrey's thoughts right now are lyrics to a cover of a piece from Carmen."

"A cover? Excuse me, Miss Anna-Sophia, but –"

"Carmen is an opera by Georges Bizet."

"And a song by Stromae!"

"I may understand a big part of no-maj culture but I have no idea who that is so for me, it's just a cover of the original. And I mean the opera."

"As I was saying," Cedric said, emphasizing all words. "My uncle Lorcan is currently the most well-known Legilimens and seer in the world. He was taught by Sybill Trelawney, who is a very nice and awesome woman…"

* * *

 

"Dad, I don't think it's a good idea."

"What don't you think is a good idea, Amy?"

"I don't want you to become Head of Divination, and I don't want you to become Head of Hufflepuff."

"Amy…"

"No! No Amy. Dad, you know it's only a way for them to use you. Don't you want to work with Trelawney at the academy? Educate the young and talented in the ways of mind-reading?"

"Amethyst Cressida Scamander, this is my decision and my decision alone. I understand and respect your point but it isn't your choice."

Lorcan didn't want to tell her what he knew already. As supportive as McGonagall and Neville were, no other staff member wanted him as Head of Hufflepuff. And it was very likely that he would be fired from his job as a divination professor as well, and thus he will have no choice but to join the academy. He wanted to stay hopeful, even though he knew he has no chance. He already knew he was going to get dismissed sometime soon. He saw it, after all.

"Dad, please. Please don't." Amy looked at him with big, teary eyes. "Everyone thinks you're a joke."

"I know."

"No one wants you to– wait, _you know?_ "

"Yes, I know. Everyone always thought I was a joke. Even my family. I mean, you know my family. Three generations of magizoologists. But I'm trying to stay optimistic. I have nothing to do except staying optimistic. You should try it."

"I just…" She pulled her shoulders. "I don't want to see you going back there."

"Amy baby, if I go back to St. Mungo's, it's my fault."

"Okay. I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, baby girl. And if you need homework help…"

"I'll go to Slytherin. Katherine and I have plans for studying together."

"I didn't think Miss Yaxley took sixth year stuff."

"She doesn't. But she's very good at understanding questions."

"Yeah, well, just don't kill yourself. Your mum would have my head if you do."

Amy ran from the table she was sitting at, planted a loud kiss on her father's cheek and left the classroom. He had to admit, she was right. He was probably going to end up at St. Mungo's for the third time in his life very soon, and then his ex-wife would have his ass. She did threaten him to never end up back there again, after all. And he wasn't even _supposed_ to be there. They had no department for mental disorders, just magical maladies.

And then he got _that_ note. Just as predicted.

Leaving to his room for the last time, the two things that bothered Lorcan's mind were what he was going to do from now on. And when were they going to understand what a mistake they made when they decided to fire him mid-year.

* * *

 

From: Cadmus Rubeus Potter  
To: Lorcan Scamander

Uncle Lorcan, hey to you.

Since I am sure you don't know Einar Lindgren, seeing as he left Hogwarts mid-first year, I feel compelled to write this in his name. Einar has this secret agenda of his and he asked me to help him get people to "fight for the cause", whatever he meant by that, so I told him about you. I told him you're both a seer and a Legilimens. And he now needs you. Very much. There was something about some people at Hogwarts doing some very wrong stuff and Einar is usually right about his gut feelings, or so he says, but I'm not sure. So I'm writing to you for two reasons. One is about Einar, the other is about Einar's cause. I'm sure you understand me.

I'll tell you more when I can finally understand a word that comes out of his mouth. So… Don't reply just yet. You should wait.

CR.

* * *

 

From: Lorcan Scamander, ~~formerly Professor of Divination at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry~~  
To: Cadmus Rubeus Potter

Truth be told, I didn't get a word you said. But I'm going to trust you and help that "cause".

But I'm only trusting you because you asked me to.

I'm not going to believe someone who left Hogwarts mid-year when he was eleven.

And someone help us in this.

P.S don't tell your parents about that "formerly" part. I don't need anyone to worry about me any more than they already do.

* * *

 

"I have no idea why you need my assistance to apparate to New York, Lorcan. You're thirty-seven, for love's sake!"

"Mercy Lewis, Janis, would you stop asking stupid questions?!"

"I honestly have no idea why we ever got a divorce, because clearly you can't do anything by yourself!" Janis smacked Lorcan across his head. "Men."

"So you're saying all men are bad?"

"No, but in my experience, most men are."

"Janis, Amy and Seth can't know. Okay? They really can't. I don't want to handle their devastation." And a moment later, "yes. I was fired. But for the record, I knew it was going to happen. Just not when."

"So you're just leaving to New York to run away from your problems instead of facing your problem and calling them out on their bullshit?!" Janis started pacing, twirling her short hair in frustration. Lorcan was near impossible.

"I was hoping I'd take you to New York with me and then neither of us will have to confront them and call them out on their bullshit."

"Merlin's beard, Lorcan, we haven't been married for the past twelve years! What reason can you possibly have for –"

"I need you, okay? I need you." Janis stopped pacing and just stared at him. "I know you probably hate me, and to be honest, if I were you I would hate me too. But I need you. Things aren't going well for me lately. I think it might be the lack of psychological treatment or the fact that I ran out of pills a couple of days ago… Oh, who am I kidding, it's a mix of both. And I… I can't…"

"You're impossible. And it's impossible to hate you." The witch rolled her eyes. "Two sugars and no milk?"

"Do you have anything fancy? Haven't had anything other than English Breakfast in a really long time."

"Cherry Bakewell sounds good?"

"Sounds perfect. But –"

"I was talking about the tea. I don't have a Bakewell in the oven just for you. I know how much you love those, but no, you're not getting a piece today. I'll go put the kettle on."

Lorcan was lost in thought about how his ex-wife looked. She wasn't the prettiest, but to him, she was beautiful. Ever since Hogwarts, really. He had no idea why that was. As Langdon once dubbed her, "she's like Paris Geller, only shorter, chubbier and I can't decide if nicer or meaner". Whoever that Paris Geller was. Whatever the thing was with the American laws, wizards and muggles shall not intermingle or whatever, they sure loved muggle culture much more than the Brits. He really shouldn't be listening to his American best friend, then. Langdon was just… weird. That was a good word to describe him. He had the skills of an Auror and the heart of a Healer and he spent all his time at the bakery, so that was a waste of a man, really. Whatever MACUSA had against the Goldstein family was so, so stupid. And Abbie too, giving up her dream to become Madame President and just settling down and having kids. Not that having kids was bad, absolutely not, but Abigail Goldstein was just…

"You're thinking out loud."

"Sorry. Do you have cake or biscuits? For the tea?"

"I'll try to find something."

Abbie's eldest probably graduated by now. What was his name again, Charlie? No, that was the younger one. Aidan. Yeah, Aidan. He was probably an Ilvermorny graduate, if not a seventh year, by now. Lorcan really needed to keep track of everything.

"Try not to spill the tea," Janis said as she put down a tray with two mugs full of tea and a plate of biscuits. "Turns out I bought three packs of rich teas last week and forgot about it. And I have some jammie dodgers but they're a bit stale."

"Rich teas are just fine! Also, about spilling the tea –"

"No, Mr. Scamander. No. I will not have your jokes right now."

"But spilling the tea means –"

"I know what it means and it doesn't matter. You are spilling no tea today, neither literal nor figurative." Lorcan took his mug sheepishly, moved the string and started drinking it. "Careful, it's –"

"I know," he said after a sip. "I know how I drink my tea, woman. We've been married for long enough for you to know that."

"We've been married for five years."

"Isn't that enough for you to know how I drink my tea?"

"You are just weird and I can't believe I even let you in here."

"You let me in because I'm adorable, you can't hate me and I was in really bad shape and holding all my stuff and it was pouring outside."

"How are the kids?" Janis caught a surprised look. "They never write to me. I don't know how they're doing."

"Amy is fine. She's star student."

"Of course she is."

"And I don't really know about Seth. He's friends with a Hufflepuff girl called Gina, who probably thinks I'm some sort of godly deity, and with Sadie. But that's all I really know. He was too young for me to teach, you know."

"Is, Lorcan. Not was, is. You're going to open that academy with Trelawney and you'll be legendary. I assure you."

"Are you sure we can't remarry, Janis?"

"We'll wait and see."

* * *

"Have you seen my dad?"

The dark-haired Ravenclaw intruder to the Slytherin dorms was persistent. Michael had to give her that. But Amy Scamander was always there, so why wouldn't she be persistent?

"Why am I responsible for seeing your dad, Scamander?"

"Not funny, Vreeland. I need him for help with homework but I can't find him."

"Michael, you heard?" Tori called, getting to the Slytherin common room. "My uncle got dismissed because Ardelean –"

Amy grabbed her by the shoulder.

"And now slower?"

"Umm… Your dad got dismissed. I don't know why. I heard it was because of Ardelean but I still don't know."

"Mercy Lewis, Potter! You should've told me when you heard!"

"Amy, I heard that from Andy! Why didn't you go to ask Andy? Why did you come here at all?"

"Because if you already forgot, Andy is a Slytherin, just like you. And I can't find him anywhere." She turned around to leave. "Never mind. I'll be fine."

After she left, Tori sighed. "I don't get them."

"Was he really…?"

"I don't know. Andy told me. He's not the most reliable source, you know."

"And you saw the thestral again." Tori shook her head. "Don't lie to me. You've been doodling on your hand today."

"I didn't see the thestral. I saw nothing. You keep your mouth shut about this. No one needs to know."

"But you did?"

"No!" She nodded, as if to say yes. "Do as I do and not as I say. No." She nodded again.

"Well, you really got to talk to someone about this."

"If only Remus would listen…"

"Astoria! This is –"

"Sorry. But he's the only one who understands! He can see them too."

"I'm sure, I'm sure. Now, let's talk about not seeing the thestral again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't say why I like Janis so much all of the sudden. I thought she was really mean. But she isn't. (And she's nothing like Paris Geller, I don't think, haven't watched Gilmore Girls yet.) And she has a bit of a background with Lorcan that goes past their five-year marriage. I can't tell it without spoiling half the plot of TSDBLD, though, so deal with this.
> 
> And Amy is adorable. I know I didn't make her seem that way, but she'll be soon.
> 
> Einar's "fight for the cause" will be explained in the next part. Because things will finally happen in the next part. Yay! Plot development!


End file.
